Them
by AveraIllisa
Summary: Their body swelled with DETERMINATION not their own as they watched the souls of their victims fragment into dust.


It was initially unclear to them how they had resurfaced, no longer swamped by the void of death in which they had dwelt beyond the grave. If their memory was dependable, the plan which they underwent had emerged in failure; Asriel had refused to employ their newly-obtained powers to wipe out the masses of pathetic humans that felt obliged to shatter their souls, and no matter how much they had coaxed and struggled, his denial had been steadfast - in the end, their body, despite the powers inherited from the divergence of their human and monster souls, had sustained far too much damage from the surface to maintain life; they had collapsed and splintered apart, their battered souls scattering across the tiles of the throne room.

The memory brought back a grimace. They'd deemed their plan foolproof - after absorbing their own soul, they'd thought nothing would be able to deter them from seeing their plan through. Unfortunately, under the euphoria of obtaining such awe-provoking abilities, they'd neglected to factor the possibility that Asriel might actually REFUSE them something. His foolishness in allowing the humans to barrage them with blow after blow had cost them everything.

But now here they were, once more - alight upon the flowers they'd fallen upon so many years ago, after that faithful tumble into the abyss of Mt. Ebott. They blinked, curious and perplexed, and scanned their surroundings with a furrowed brow. How had they gotten back here? Hadn't the plan failed? What could've possibly been so powerful it had dragged them back from the plane of death, where even their impressively determined soul could not escape?

They picked themselves off the ground and gazed skywards, shielding their eyes from the effulgent sunbeams that streamed down from the top of Mt. Ebott. A warm glow caressed their auburn locks and fabric-clad shoulders as they scrutinized the familiar surroundings. The reason of how they'd been summoned back to this location was still shrouded in mystery, but they resolved to unravel the cause from the tangled skein of perplexity that clouded their reemergence into the living world.

However, a brief glance downwards uncovered something intriguing. They gazed, astounded and curious, at the hands that weren't their own, arms not theirs, body clad in a garish blue-and-purple ensemble that they did not remember having. They blinked at these obvious peculiarities, face slack in bemusement, before an inkling of realization began to slowly dawn - they recognized the swell of sensation that emanated from deep within their breast, a blossoming resolve that engulfed their new body from a chamber deep within their heart, enclosing their soul. They could recognize the curious sensation anywhere - it was determination, and judging from the intensity of which they could feel it within their chest, it was an impressive lot of it. They hadn't felt such a powerful, heady rush of determination since they days they had been living, where a similar sensation had once engulfed their own heart.

They smirked, palm resting against the center of their chest where they could feel the faithful organ beating steadily away - the deep confines of his heart where their new soul lay nestled. This astounding amount of determination had obviously been the reason of their rebirth, powerful enough to rekindle their lost flame from where the dark grasp of death had held it steadfast. Elation began to blossom throughout their body, a grin broadening upon their new face. It was a glorious stroke of luck that had them resurfacing back into the land of the living once more, allowing them to resume the work they had left unfinished.

Their breath ghosted past parted lips into the damp air of The Ruins.

They are filled with DETERMINATION.

ooOoo

The reappearance of Asriel had been incredibly humorous.

They gazed downwards, lip curled in amusement, at the small flower at their feet bearing the visage of their former friend. He'd certainly become far more ruthless than the crybaby they'd known before, pouncing at the chance to murder them under the false pretense of showing them the reins of the Underground. They'd intended to lash out right there and then, mauling the golden flower at their feet with no short of glee - but then a fireball had erupted from their right, abstaining the flower from performing his murderous act. A glance to the right had revealed another familiar face - Toriel, their adopted mother, emerging from the withering scaffold of what once stood as HOME.

She really hadn't changed, bearing the all-too familiar, motherly demeanor that she'd also adopted when Asriel had first brought them back home after their tumble into the underground. A quick scrutiny of her actions and responses had uncovered the fact that she did not seem to realize that the child she was currently care-taking was once her second child.

Resolve tightened within their gut.

A surge of DETERMINATION followed them into the shadows.

ooOoo

They were just as strong as they remembered.

They watched Toriel's soul shudder and splinter into shards, a fine glitter that was whisked into the wind.

She'd died in scorn; contempt clearly etched into the features that once bore only concern for their well-being - feisty even until death.

The decrepit door yielded against their palm.

Flakes of snow whispered against the soles of their shoes.

A heady rush of DETERMINATION fueled their veins as they vacated the now empty Ruins.

ooOoo

Sans was clearly a fighter.

They could see a spark ignite within the once deadened eyes when he'd refused his brother his puzzles; lucidity of their plan, what they were capable of doing. The deep timbre of his voice was laced with an undercurrent of danger, a sharp bite of warning that belied his humorous and lighthearted attempts at conversation. They stare up at him, at the pinpricks of light that punctuated the dark emptiness of his eyes.

A jolt of glee and curiosity rekindled within their heart.

They gazed after the receding figure of his brother, lanky silhouette outlined against the murky backdrop of Snowdin.

Sans was strong; they could tell.

But they knew exactly how to break him.

DETERMINATION.

ooOoo

A discarded orange scarf lay nestled against the snow.

A shadow befell the rumpled fabric - short and stout, bony fingers trembling as it traced the snow-dampened cloth.

Another spark of DETERMINATION ignited with a fury beneath the underground.

ooOoo

Undyne had determination that prolonged her lifespan even after the killing blow had been dealt. The battle between her had been fast-paced and lively, and even they had to admit it had been quite a feat, dodging the relentless onslaught of attacks that threatened their soul. Her passion and ruthlessness had been conveyed through the blows, barely masking the undercurrent of agony that underlay her determined countenance - a sorrow that bespoke her regret in allowing them to claim the lives of so many.

It had been satisfying seeing her body waver, caught between the indecision of life and death.

Eventually the latter won out.

DETERMINATION.

ooOoo

Sans accosted them at the hall, smile a permanent fixture on his schooled face. His eyes flared with the vengeance that had previously been a mere spark, and from the bulk of his blue jacket a sliver of something bright could be seen peeking out from where he'd stuffed it away.

The tip of an orange scarf drooped sorrowfully from the folds of his pockets, mourning the loss of its owner.

As they'd expected and hoped, Sans fulfilled every inch of the quota they'd been expecting from him since they'd glimpsed that hidden fire within his eyes - he was ruthless and swift, barraging them with assault after assault that tinted their soul a deep violet. A dizzying array of blues and yellows flitted through his sole, resplendent eye, reflecting the vengeance that smoldered within his short and seemingly unimpressive stature. Sans certainly held nothing back, allowing sheer rage to fuel his attacks and deal them blow after blow after blow.

By the fifth time the world reset, they'd finally exhausted him to his limit - perspiration beaded the ivory gleam of his rounded skull, and his movements were growing increasingly sluggish the more he slammed them against the wall. Eventually he'd employed his ever elusive 'secret attack' and left it at that, foolishly believing that the meager cage he'd erected around their soul would restrict them from further attack. The slumber he'd unwillingly fell into had sealed his own demise as they pounded against the walls incessantly until the destination was reached and a press of a button sealed his fate forever.

Scarlet seeped from the jagged tear that ran down his jacket, drenching the bony hand he'd raised towards it in a futile attempt at staunching the dripping, red flow. The spark that had smoldered within his eyes just moments prior had dimmed, smothered by the onslaught of emotion that followed his failure in stopping their venture. Pained eyes lifted to meet theirs, scrutinizing them in a vain attempt at finding even a trace of warmth - a hint that they weren't as utterly inhumane as they appeared. The only thing he'd been able to locate were twin chasms that bore nothing.

He stumbled over the tiles, coins of scarlet following him into disintegration.

They raised a hand to fan the glitter.

DETERMINATION swelled within their heart.

ooOoo

The spiked vine that had plunged into Asgore's abdomen recoiled as the king's lumbering figure collapsed to his knees, hands braced against the unforeseen wound. His body tremored and waned, disappearing into the wind as his soul fragmented into minute shards. As the dust settled, the familiar form of Asriel, flower-form and all, sprouted from the ground, golden petals fanning the air. They watched, lip curled in amusement, as the familiar visage of Asriel replaced the previously comical facial-features of Flowey. His voice quivered in apprehension as he implored his life be spared, frightened that the fate that befell most of the population of the Underground would now be bestowed upon him.

They gazed down at the tiny flower, contemplating.

A malevolent grin split their lips as a decision was made.

Shredded petals danced in the empty winds that trailed in the wake of the murderer.

ooOoo

"Let's erase this pointless world."

A weakened voice struggled to be heard above the clamor, confined beneath the strengthened soul they'd roused from death with their determination. Within the body of the human that had wrought irreparable damage to all of monsterkind two hearts beat as one, the second of which was barely a flutter beneath the thunderous din of its twin soul.

They wanted to refuse the other; take back control of the body they'd lost, so they could finally cease the meaningless genocide that had been wrought.

But in the end, as they soon learnt, they were never the ones in control.

DETERMINATION followed them both into the abyss of a new world.


End file.
